Now, hepatitis C patients to be screened for free

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 10

The government will now offer free treatment of Hepatitis C. Earlier, the patients use to pay for the test while rest of the treatment was free, but now even the test is being done free of the cost. Presently, 4,300 patients are getting the treatment done for free.

The test used to cost Rs 881 to the patients which is now being done for free at the Civil Hospital. One test used to be conducted at the beginning of the treatment while the other used to take place at the end of the treatment.

Everyday, 15-20 patients come at the core lab to get their tests done but from September 1 it is being done free and an increase of 5-10 patients has been observed.

Bhagel Singh, in-charge of core lab at the Civil Hospital said earlier 15-20 patients used to come for diagnosis but now the number has increased and it is expected to increase further in the coming days.

“Many patients used to skip the test being done at the completion of the treatment although it is an important one. With tests being done for free now, no patient will leave the treatment in between,” he said. In case any patient wants to get the test done in between the treatment, he/she will have to pay from his own pockets.

Dr Avinash Jindal, Senior Medical Officer of Civil Hospital said the test had been done for free by the government. The treatment of the patient lasts for 3-6 months and it is only through the test that the duration of the medication is ascertained after knowing the amount of virus in the blood. The test is carried out to ensure whether the virus has been destroyed.